Avenida

Food was good, service very poor. We were encouraged to sit at the bar for some reason. Bar tenders did not acknowledge us. We had to get his attention for everything. Can we get a drink? Can we order food? Can we get eating utensils? Can we have the check please. Go for the food but don’t expect any customer service.

Our party of four all felt the experience, drinks and food was just ok. The restaurant is nicely decorated but looks and feels more like a nightclub than food establishment. Tables are very close to each other and the restaurant was too loud to enjoy the conversation at our table. Some of the staff seemed like they were on speed (running around like they were going to a fire) clearing off tables as soon as the people left them. Did not help that we were seated near the area where dirty dishes were taken. Our server was very pleasant and knew the menu pretty well but was very methodical and slow. We would have ordered more than two drinks a piece if he would have come around and asked us. When he brought our first drink order he did not know who ordered what and two of the four people at the table had the same drink! When the food came the person delivering the meals did so from the short end of the table, reaching across two people to place two plates on the table and delivered a third plate before going to get the fourth plate. Not sure why all four plates could not be delivered at one time. I think because the tables are so close to each other this can make delivering food to the table challenging.
For the money, atmosphere, and taste of the food we all expected more. At this point I would not recommend the restaurant. I will probably give it another shot hoping to sit in a different area of the restaurant and will definitely order something different before I take it off my list. I ordered the Three Amigos entrée — the presentation was ok and taste the same — ok. The beans and rice served with the meal were no more tasteful than what comes from a frozen entrée. The guac app was also just ok. The chunks of pineapple were a nice addition but the guacamole tasted like it could have come off the shelf from nearby Trader Joes and expensive for what you got. No idea if they offer a dessert selection. We were not asked if we wanted any and I never saw a dessert tray. The server delivered four separate bills to our table and none of us received the correct bill and two of the four bills were incorrect. The server divided up two items on the incorrect bills. We were also surprised the server did not ask how the bills should be presented (all on one, two and two, etc.) before he placed them on the table. That was a bit awkward.

Overall the food was good. I was expecting (or atleast hoping) for a little more authentic food. There’s a restaurant in Providence, RI that I love that is Bolivian/​Peruvian which I’ve been trying to find something similar to since I moved here. I realize this is a fusion restaurant, but there were a few things that were still missing.
We ordered Margaritas at the bar, because my friends and I got there before our reservation. (you’ll want to make a reservation we went at 6 on s Saturday and the people in front of me was quoted an hour/​hour and a half wait with a reservation.)
Once we were seated ordered Beef Anticucho (which tasted like beef but not cow heart like I’m used to). The appetizers were a serving size for 2.
I ordered the Churrasco. Very tender meat. It came on a plate of rice and came with yucca fritas (again reminiscing of the other restaurant tried to order boiled yucca, but they were unable to accommodate.) they were able to provide hot aji (I always forget if it’s called rocoto or locoto) but if you like spicy I recommend it.
Overall, taking my comparison to the other restaurant out of the picture, food was good. A little expensive though. If you are looking for traditional South American food, you could be disappointed, but it is overall good tasting food.

Went there today around 3:00 for happy hour and an early dinner. We sat at the bar and were given chips and salsa along with an addictive tomatillo verde right away. The bartender was attentive and took our food/​drink orders. I had the chaufa with chicken (Peruvian style) and my friend had the beef skewers. We were both very happy with the service and the food. Price was a little high but okay on occasion. Will go back.

I’ve never had a restaurant fail me at every turn until tonight. We had reservations at 8:00 and were not seated until 8:30. First they took our party of 6 to a table for 5 and then moved us to a table they said would be better, the new table was the same size they just crammed another chair in. The server brought us water and left without taking drink orders, came back after a few minutes and took our drink order and left and came back to take appetizer orders. Our appetizers were delivered by the manager (who was aware of our wait for the table), she asked if we needed anything and I replied «our drinks would be nice» and she said «I know, I’m in my way to check on them now». We waited another 10 minutes for our drinks and when my margarita finally arrived, the drink had been sloshes around so much that all of the salt had been washed away. The server took our entrée order after we had finished our apps and it took another half an hour for the food to arrive. We were never asked if we would like another drink and when the check finally arrived, it took another 15 minutes for the server AND the manager to run the credit cards. I was not expecting any type of discount but I would have appreciated an apology from the manager who was clearly made abreast of all of the issues our table had. Everything that could have gone wrong did.

Not impressed, optimistic going in. Sat at the bar, not busy. Three bartenders took at least 5 minutes to acknowledge. Wings were bland, service was bland. Will not return, to bad… was excited for some zest in the burbs… Not here.

There is no lunch menu so prices are expensive for lunch. I had the Arroz con Mariscos and an iced tea and with the tip, the bill approached $ 42. My entrée was delicious but at the higher prices for the entrees at lunch, I fear the lunch trade might suffer.

After waiting close to 45 minutes to get a table, we were completely ignored by our waiter. All of the tables around us were receiving service, but we were not. We were starving! I was making appropriate efforts to get attention & service. After this we paid for my husbands beer & promptly left. Lousy service!!! We went to Teresa’s Mexican Food instead, the service was great, the food was delicious, it was reasonably priced, and most important, I was treated like a human being… not a piece of furniture.

The food was okay, but not spectacular at this price level. At our table we all thought it was 1 step above Don Pablo’s. Margarita okay. Food needs to improve. Servers were great and very friendly. Will try this restaurant again, knowing they are new and have to find their legs.

Group of 9 arrived all on time and were immediately seated (we had reservations) and that is where the competency stopped. It took 40 minutes for our waiter to bring bottles of wine. After waiting nearly 45 minutes we had to ask the manager if we could place our order. Food arrived in chaotic fashion with people delivering dishes by standing at the end yelling out what they had in their hands. Several of us had the Chaufa and there was such an intense amount of salt on it that none of us ate very much. I said something to our waiter about the sodium and he replied «oh – huh». We were never asked how the food was during the meal and then finally after sitting there for nearly 2 hours had to chase down the waiter for the bill.
Terrible waiter, awful food and extremely loud. In addition a we were seated by the door where we froze. It is winter in MN and the designers of the restaurant thinks ropes spaced 6 inches apart hanging in the entry will act as a barrier to a 10 degree night.
This was my second visit and my first one was so non-​descript that I decided I must have just missed on ordering something good. Nope. Not the case. Head across the parking lot to Blvd if you want an evening out.

We were quite surprised by the quality and deliciousness of the food at Avenida on our recent visit to the restaurant. Everything we had was delicious. We were a group of four, so we ordered a few appetizers. My favorite was the Nikkei (ahi tuna) ceviche and it was one of the most delicious things I’ve ever had. For an entrée, I had the three amigos, and chose chicken filled tortillas and three different well-​known Latin American sauces. It was delicious. Margaritas were also very good! Ever since moving back from California, we have missed good «authentic» Mexican and Latin American food, and this is by far the best restaurant which has this cuisine in the Twin Cities which we have been to. I would absolutely recommend this place. Our waiter was very attentive and nice. I think the poorer reviewers were expecting a more chain-​like American style Mexican restaurant (and prices), which it is not. So if you want that, go somewhere else.

Avenida was an impromptu stop based on some local Unilocal reviews.
The restaurant is relatively close to the hotel I stay when I am traveling for work which is a plus. I started my culinary experience with the Guacamole with jalapeños. Overall the Guac was delicious but for one small scoop and it costing $ 7 it seemed overpriced.
For my entrée I had the arroz con pato which is grilled duck with some rice. Overall the dish was good but for the price seemed a little over priced.
The vibe was laid back and the service was good. I think, you make this meal $ 5-​$ 7 cheaper you have 4 – 5 stars. But, given the facts I am going with 3 stars.

We visited Avenida last night and I would rate the overall experience as OK. The place is new so take it all with a grain of salt, but there were some downfalls. The waitress we had was pretty much clueless about the menu and waiting tables in general. Many of the items on the menu are mixed english/​spanish terms or otherwise completely in Spanish, and we basically had to point at the menu when placing our orders.
We opened up by ordering two Speedy Gonzales margaritas, two shots of Jimador Resposado, and the Crudo Tartare ceviche (we were never served the ceviche).
Having worked in the restaurant industry if my table of two people ordered 4 drinks and an app to open I would probably have $$ for eyes, but she didn’t have a clue.
I ordered the Arroz con Pato (duck breast with rice), girlfriend odered the Chaufa with Chicken. I noticed from photos that they cook the duck pretty much well done so I ordered it medium rare. It was overcooked still, but very tasty. Girlfriend liked her dish, but wasn’t impressed overall.
We had another round of drinks and shots of Jimador and departed.
For the $ 120 paid I could have a hell of a lot better meal.

We were pretty stoked to see something move into the old Macaroni Grill location. We were even more stoked when we found out it is owned by the same owners as Crave! However, it was kind of a lack luster lunch.
For starters, the ambiance is a solid 4 stars. It’s fresh, clean, and has a good vibe. I love intimate style seating and most tables had a view of their great looking bar and ceviche bar.
The chips and salsa were also a 4. They were fresh and on the table. Two types of salsa ready to enjoy. No wow factor, but they’re chips and salsa. They’re kind of a middle of the road food.
Entrees: here’s where things start to dip. I ordered the Chaufa, the waitresses favorite thing on the menu. It’s a Peruvian fried rice with veggies shrimp and an egg. I’ve been to Peru before and was really excited about this. However, nothing about this dish tasted Peruvian! I don’t remember having sweet chili sauce on anything in Peru, and this stuff was drenched in it. Overall, it tasted good but it’s nothing that 1. I can’t make at home and 2. Would order again.
My hubby got the carne asada, and has never had carne asada that didn’t look like fajitas before. Overall, it wasn’t his favorite thing and the cactus on the side was really salty. So, for food, and especially the price of the food, we give them 3 stars. While the food was fine, the prices left a bad taste in my mouth for the quality we received.
The service was attentive and friendly. She kept the drinks filled and didn’t come back much. However, I have a beef with the one clearing tables. The restaurant was no where near busy and they cleared the entire table, drinks and all, right after the check was signed. We were still sitting there talking and then I noticed my water was gone. That’s not bad service, but it is t good either. That gives them a 3 star in my book.
I’ve been wrestling with if I’ll go back. And I think the latest decision has led me to saying yes only if there are good happy hour specials and BLVD is full and we don’t want to drive anywhere. But that’s about it.

From the food to the service to the ambiance this place knocked it out of the park! Such a great area for a awesome new restaurant to open. Will certainly be back

I guess I was expecting something else. When I see Mexican restaurant, I think two things: inexpensive and generous portions.
I have no complaint about the quality of the food, but it is a bit overpriced. I had the Mahi Mahi tacos. The fish comes diced with pineapple and onion in 3 mini corn tortillas. There was maybe 3 ounces of fish probably less between the 3 mini tacos. Price $ 14.00
That (the tacos) is one of the least expensive items on the menu. Most things are over $ 20 with several running north of $ 30.
Soft drinks are $ 2.95. Again, that is a ridiculous price for a fountain beverage.
The taste of the food was good but not worth the price

We were very impressed with Avenida last Friday night for a number of reasons. They recently opened, but you’d never have known it as the staff was well trained and the service was fast and friendly. The bartender poured 4 different margarita’s and all were excellent, having a unique flair with the right amount of alcohol-​well done! The menu is the right size, not too many choices, but a nice mix of options. The space is warm and cozy, not too cluttered and especially nice by the fireplace. We will be back.

Nice ambience and chnage from the old and dull macroni. They have bar right in the middle. Chips were little hard for me. Cocktails were good. Appetizer were too good. In particular the one with yuka. Entrees tasted good as well. Over all good option to have close by.

In a word, AMAZING! It is terrific having a new place that is more upscale, but with such flavorful Latin influence. We ate the Ceviche Mixto, which was perfect. Tangy, crunchy, citrusy, and so much awesome seafood. We then had Arroz con Mariscos, which is their seafood paella. So delicious, huge amount of seafood, deep rich flavors and a nice portion size. My kids had Lomo Saltado. It is beef tenderloin with crispy potatoes, rice, onions and tomatoes with a soy type sauce. The flavors were robust and you could taste it throughout the tomatoes. Dessert was Alfajores, sandwich cookies filled with Dulce de Leche. And we had Tres Leches Cake. It tasted more like a coconut cake, which we were totally happy with. All in all, a great addition to the Crave restaurant group.

Well. This place will be here forever! It has an amazing, broad menu consisting of lots of traditional Mexican foods, yet with a touch of class. The shrimp Ceviche, amazing! Welcome to the neighborhood!